OMJ Walking thread, that's WALKING, rambling and that!

Big_Society

From my walking blog about last Saturday: Hebden Bridge Round.

And so to Hebden Bridge, the Hampstead of the North (so some would say). Obviously if you plan to go to Calderdale in June you can expect rain…and we got sheds of the stuff. I had used my common and purchased a cap and some bizarre items that protect the bottom half of your trousers from mud (best £35 I have ever spent), alas I didn’t invest in a waterproof coat.

Another one of those very early mornings for me (6.15am out the door), 5 hours plus on trains (nothing to report on the journey except the piece of Halifax teenage feral who when challenged not to headbutt the seat in front of him replied “I’ve got issues me”, no shit lad!) and arriving in a cloudy Yorkshire and a damp Hebden Bridge station. After bumping into my companion for the day and dropping off his camper van at his hostel we set off through a picturesque town centre looking for a canal.

Now I use the National Trials, “try a trail” website and it tells me that I was setting off on a moderate to challenging 7.5 miles, it should have said, “all terrains in the worst weather (minus bad winds) you will get in the summer”! The canal part of the round was flat, it in no way prepared me for the next section, the first (and not the last) uphill of the day.

As I have yet to fully grasp the importance of preparation and equipment it was a good job my walking companion had experience. If I had been on my own I’m not sure I would have taken the right route on occasions (especially when w found the hidden cemetary half way up a hill on the edge of town). Given that by that pint we were technically on the Pennine Way once again I was shocked how limited the signage was! We climb stone paths, grass banks, mud paths, the lot, passing roaring torrents of water (see the toilet pic at the end) all just to get with walking distance of another uphill to the real tops. It was somewhat disconcerting when after struggling up all these hills my companion pointed out that despite me panting like I’d done 5 miles we had in fact only gone about 1.5 miles!!!

Still I was enjoying the company and the banter and finding strength in the rain, although worse was to come. After a really long unassuming rural section we headed towards Heptonstall Moor which was a cue for the heavens to open up….

I have in other times lived in rural areas (deepest darkest miles from civilisation Swaledale for a short period) so I know how landscape can change quickly, I also know how the weather can turn. As we entered the moor I was struck by how it almost looked out-of-place, should have been 30 miles further north and populated with grouse. I also noticed the path had turned into a flowing stream!

We splashed through the path, knowing that half way across the moor we were meant to come off the Pennine Way and instead join some other walk. The instructions pointed to going around the back of some half altered but deserted barn that from where we were looking as the only building for miles, wrong! Once you got to the barn it was almost like walking through a space-time continuum, the landscape suddenly became more manageable and almost chocolate box, it was also all downhill. Almost as soon as we hit a road we were directed into woods and besides a river, this marks the start of the second half of our walk, gone the ups and fields, welcome to downs, flats, stone paths and woods (I found the down hill stone paths hard on the toes and needing care and attention). It was literally mile after mile of stepping-stones and similar stuff underfoot. In this section we actually encountered people (mostly hardy dog walkers) and thus that Northern greetings business started up!

Eventually after 3 hours we made the edge of Hebden Bridge so we had done decent time. Next stop (after a little bit of getting lost) the Railway Hotel, which was pleasant enough with decent ale (although what they thought of the bloke whose lack of a waterproof coat meant he was socked into his back i don’t know). One of the things I will have to acknowledge is that whilst a well-earned pint is justified, 8 over the course of the rest of the day (half in HB, half in Leeds on route home) is perhaps excessive if I want to maintain the fitness gain from a walk!

My apologies for not doing justice to the scale of the experience, the valued company and the lessons learnt on this walk. What I can say is it took me 3 days to recover legs wise!

Don’t forget this: [url]http://www.justgiving.com/Michael-Green4[/url]

Big_Society

Did Standedge circular a few weekends ago, havn't got around to writing it up yet. Another interesting ramble including shocking views of Greater Manchester......

Raposa

Finally got round to walking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks yesterday..had previously done them all individually.
Myself the wife and our Jack Russell!
Clocked in at the Post Office in Horton at 7.25am and landed back 10 hours and 9 minutes later.

Gutted we didn't break the 10 hours mark,which was mainly due to a 20 minute stop in the pub at Ribblehead for toilets and a hot drink etc and then another 20 minute stop at the cafe near the foot of Whernside for a complete change to dry clobber due to an absolute fucking monsoon breaking out at the summit!

Pretty sure a nice bout of flu will hit later this week,but talking to the hardened walkers in the Red Lion in Horton afterwards,anyone hitting the 10 hour mark in those conditions had done well,so we were chuffed in the end.

All in all a good day,stunning scenery,a good giggle with other walkers...our Jack Russell trying to clamber up the steep rocks near Ingleborough summit,the subject of much mirth...and we will be back,but next time hopefully on a dry day!

sock_tag

old yeadonian wroteFinally got round to walking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks yesterday..had previously done them all individually.
Myself the wife and our Jack Russell!
Clocked in at the Post Office in Horton at 7.25am and landed back 10 hours and 9 minutes later.

Gutted we didn't break the 10 hours mark,which was mainly due to a 20 minute stop in the pub at Ribblehead for toilets and a hot drink etc and then another 20 minute stop at the cafe near the foot of Whernside for a complete change to dry clobber due to an absolute fucking monsoon breaking out at the summit!

Pretty sure a nice bout of flu will hit later this week,but talking to the hardened walkers in the Red Lion in Horton afterwards,anyone hitting the 10 hour mark in those conditions had done well,so we were chuffed in the end.

All in all a good day,stunning scenery,a good giggle with other walkers...our Jack Russell trying to clamber up the steep rocks near Ingleborough summit,the subject of much mirth...and we will be back,but next time hopefully on a dry day!

Very well done, pisses all over my 11hr 20 back in April ...in good conditions too.

Raposa

sock tag wrote
old yeadonian wroteFinally got round to walking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks yesterday..had previously done them all individually.
Myself the wife and our Jack Russell!
Clocked in at the Post Office in Horton at 7.25am and landed back 10 hours and 9 minutes later.

Gutted we didn't break the 10 hours mark,which was mainly due to a 20 minute stop in the pub at Ribblehead for toilets and a hot drink etc and then another 20 minute stop at the cafe near the foot of Whernside for a complete change to dry clobber due to an absolute fucking monsoon breaking out at the summit!

Pretty sure a nice bout of flu will hit later this week,but talking to the hardened walkers in the Red Lion in Horton afterwards,anyone hitting the 10 hour mark in those conditions had done well,so we were chuffed in the end.

All in all a good day,stunning scenery,a good giggle with other walkers...our Jack Russell trying to clamber up the steep rocks near Ingleborough summit,the subject of much mirth...and we will be back,but next time hopefully on a dry day!

Very well done, pisses all over my 11hr 20 back in April ...in good conditions too.

Cheers mate..and I'll be honest,struggling to just walk up and down the stairs this morning!

gorefidel

Good effort that OY. Although how you get your missus to do it is beyond me. Mine was moaning like fuck at having to walk a couple of kms in Madrid last week.

Raposa

gorefidel wroteGood effort that OY. Although how you get your missus to do it is beyond me. Mine was moaning like fuck at having to walk a couple of kms in Madrid last week.

She's always been into the keep fit stuff mate..gym,bikes,jogging etc....probably to counteract the amount of booze she throws down her neck!!

LS and Dead Bloke have witnessed it first hand :lol:

luxury_scruff

She's ace.

Re the dog, how was that? Was it really knackered at the end? Did you take water and a pyrex tub?

I've got a jack too and we've been talking about extending our usual weekend few-milers.

Raposa

luxury_scruff wroteShe's ace.

Re the dog, how was that? Was it really knackered at the end? Did you take water and a pyrex tub?

I've got a jack too and we've been talking about extending our usual weekend few-milers.

As expected struggling (like us) near the end mate, but he's a hardy dog and been brought up on regular 7/8 mile walks right from being a pup.
If we took him to the end of the street and back,like some do,he'd look at us fucking daft!

Loves the outdoors like most Jacks.

Big_Society

Big Society wroteDid Standedge circular a few weekends ago, havn't got around to writing it up yet. Another interesting ramble including shocking views of Greater Manchester......

http://wp.me/p2qaz0-1E

The Yorkshire three peaks is only a month away...

Big_Society

Extract from the walking back to Yorkshire site, Bowes to Middleton in Teesdale

"After a lot of humming and harrying the decision to do the Bowes (loop) to Middleton in Teesdale section of the Pennine Way was made. I was dropped off in one of the noisiest villages in England around 10.30am and set off uphill towards what looked like abandoned army range territory. From that point I got a full range of terrains, roads, tracks, well worm paths, hard to see paths, through reads, over stones, uphill, downhill, through some of the most dangerous stiles I have ever met and straight into a constant headwind at parts.

Highlights included seeing "Hannah's Meadow", the crags that are Goldsborough, Mickleton Moor, the view from Harter Fell and arrival at Middleton in Teesdale before the rain hit.

I will be honest, I struggled from about 9 miles in (13 miles done) but the fact that the last 30 minutes was all downhill helped. It took a full 4 hours with no sustained stops.

See below a series of photos taken via the mobile phone. Please go here http://www.justgiving.com/Michael-Green4 to donate to Water Aid."

Next stop, Yorkshire three peaks....

Big_Society

Yorkshire three peaks tomorrow, death or glory.

Djpekingman

I'm voting for death - glory is only fleeting, death is forever.

Raposa

Death by blisters!

Big_Society

Tale of two and a half walks http://wp.me/p2qaz0-24

sock_tag

Brave decision to quit.I too had a break in Chapel le Dale and was then faced with that cunt of a hill Ingleborough and I truly felt that I couldn't climb it.With the help of my pal and plenty of stops though I managed it.
What I wasn't expecting after the final peak was the never ending trek back to Horton which felt like double the official distance.
I probably shouldn't have attempted the walk, like yourself I had done 12 miles only a couple of times beforehand as training.

Raposa

sock tag wroteBrave decision to quit.I too had a break in Chapel le Dale and was then faced with that cunt of a hill Ingleborough and I truly felt that I couldn't climb it.With the help of my pal and plenty of stops though I managed it.
What I wasn't expecting after the final peak was the never ending trek back to Horton which felt like double the official distance.
I probably shouldn't have attempted the walk, like yourself I had done 12 miles only a couple of times beforehand as training.

Yeah fair play for him calling it a draw...was very close to that myself after getting soaked to the skin twice.
Literally had to drag myself up Ingleborough and felt physically sick when I got to the summit.

I reckon the fact that we'd trained for it by walking up Otley Chevin every night for a fortnight beforehand was a major factor in us finishing..its similar terrain.

otis

I did it again in June. the weather was crap and that rainfall we had didnt help. so i dont blame him for that.

climbing Ingleborough i vowed never again. just like Ben Nevis (which is a shite walk in a shite place )

im sticking to just doing one at a time or flat walking for distance.

Big_Society

Ta for the kind words, still mulling over how to get the best training in over the winter in advance of next years 6-7 day walk through Yorkshire.

Raposa

Drove up to Haworth this morning and did the Bronte Moors.
Started in the village,then up the hill to the Bronte waterfalls,before climbing up to Top Withins (the inspiration for Wuthering Heights apparently).

Descended back down the Pennine Way into Stanbury village,taking in the dam road over the reservoir before heading back into Haworth for a pint of Theakstons and a pub lunch in the Black Bull...8 mile round trip.

All my life in Yorkshire and never realised the Brontes were such an obsession for the Japs..place was overrun with them and even the signs on the walks were written in English and Japanese..bizarre!

Good day,but fucking cold and pretty bleak up there,won't be rushing back for walks in that neck of the woods,although Haworth's quaint.

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